


Let it all Out

by mttibadabo



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Healing, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romance, Running Away, harvey is actually well adjusted, kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:00:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21577969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mttibadabo/pseuds/mttibadabo
Summary: When Georgia is forced to leave the city for her own safety, she finds herself the caretaker of the family farm. Farming is hard work, and the threats from her past don't make things any easier. But maybe, with a little help from the town doctor, she will be able to face her past and build a new life.
Relationships: Harvey/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Harvey/Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 56





	1. head-heart malfunction

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't posted fanfiction online since I was thirteen and writing really shitty Kingdom Hearts high school AU fics, so bear with me :) this is just for fun after finishing up nanowrimo a few days earlier than anticipated, but I hope to keep a pretty regular upload schedule.

No matter how many mornings Georgia had woken up in the creaky old farmhouse, they never got easier. She groaned, rolling over to shut off the alarm on her phone. Part of her wished she could hit the snooze button on the rooster that must be on top of her chimney for how well the sound carried into her bedroom.

Opening her phone, her thumb skipped her texts and social media, going straight to her security camera app. The app had one notification, causing her a moment of mild panic, until she saw a freeze-frame of a deer sniffing at the flowers around her mailbox. Thank Yoba.

Lewis had laughed when she asked if the farmhouse had any security system already installed. “You’ll be lucky if the deadbolt hasn’t rusted shut. It’s a safe town, Georgia, I promise.”

“But there is internet out here, right?”

“You kids and your internet,” Lewis said with a sigh, sounding like every other middle-aged man set in his ways for the past forty years. Georgia struggled to keep from rolling her eyes. “But yes, we have internet. We qualified for a grant last year, something about high speed internet for rural communities. Robin’s boy, Sebastian? He’s the one who found out about it, wrote the application himself. I get little use out of it, but has helped the local business owners out a good deal.”

“That’ll do just fine.” Georgia pulled out her phone, making a note to order security cameras as soon as possible. “I can get someone to come out and install something later this week.”

Lewis raised an eyebrow, but didn’t respond. Not that she cared anyway.

Stretching, she got out of bed to throw on her work clothes and sunscreen, though “work clothes” tread close to a misnomer. But in this late summer heat, she would rather put up with scrapes on her arms and legs than work in the hot sun in a long shirt and pants. She pulled her short black hair into the saddest attempt at a ponytail and stepped out onto the front porch.

The second her boots hit the porch, a dull thump-thump-thump greeted her as her dog Nala’s tail thudded against the porch floor.

“A lot of good you did last night,” Georgia scolded, leaning down to scratch the dog behind her ears. “Looks like the deer ate half of the spangles around the mailbox!” Nala wagged in response, making Georgia chuckle.

Georgia had never called herself a dog person. Sure, she thought her friends’ dogs were cute and didn’t mind dog sitting here and there, but she never intended on having a dog of her own until the rancher who lived south of the farm showed up one morning, a giant, muddy dog in tow.

“I don’t suppose this dog is yours, Georgia?” Marnie had asked, indicating the obvious. “I found her wandering around just outside the south gate of your farm.”

“Can’t say I’ve ever seen her.”

“Well I’d take her in, but we’re at max capacity on the ranch right now. Why don’t you take her? Every farm needs a good dog, and she’s as sweet as can be.” Marnie smiled, and Georgia cringed. The last thing she wanted to be responsible for was a dog that looked like she ate hundreds of dollars worth of food every month.

She crouched down, eye level with the dog. “What is she, some kind of giant golden retriever?”

Marnie laughed. “Not quite. Looks to me like she’s a Great Pyrenees. Oh, they’re wonderful dogs. Our Piper, down at the ranch, is half Pyr, and she is one of the best dogs we’ve had.”

“Never heard of them.” Georgia watched as a long rope of drool dangled from the dog’s mouth. Charming.

“Well, I suppose you don’t see them much in the city. They’re sheepdogs, more or less.”

“Ah.” And there was her out. “I don’t have any sheep, not planning on getting any, either. I doubt she’d have much to keep her busy around here.”

“They don’t herd,” Marnie said, sounding more insistent. “They’re guard dogs. Bred for keeping shepherds and livestock safe from wolves and bears, high in the mountains. You’d be passing up on a good dog, Georgia.”

Now that caught her attention. She reached out to ruffle the dog’s ears, earning a wide smile and a face full of dog breath. “A guard dog? Now that might interest me.”

Marnie beamed, clapping her hands. “Oh, I’m so glad! I worry about a young lady like you, living out here all alone. Pelican Town doesn’t have much danger, but you never know.”

“At the least,” Georgia said, standing and leaning against the door frame. “A burglar might mistake her for a lion in the darkness.”

So far, Nala had yet to prove herself as a guard dog, more for a lack of opportunity than anything, but she let Georgia know whenever someone came down the driveway, regardless of if they were on foot or in a car. She almost caused Doctor Harvey to crash his bicycle into the shipment box when he came out to bring her a “welcome package,” which turned out to be a thinly veiled attempt at getting her registered with the clinic. Luckily, the doctor didn’t hold it against her and became fast friends with Nala.

Georgia sighed, stretching her shoulders again and putting on a wide-brimmed straw hat. She pulled out her phone and slipped in her earbuds before remembering to send a quick text to her boyfriend. “Morning, babe. Hope you have a great day! I miss you.”

  
Rolling her eyes, she shoved her phone into the back pocket of her shorts and walked out to the fields. Matt had been acting shady - hard to get reach, and distracted when she got him on the phone. But dammit if she would be the one to pull a slow fade; they’d been together for over two years now, and she knew she deserved better. She assumed he was cheating on her, or at least thinking about it. Not that she could blame him; she left over four months ago. She couldn’t go into Zuzu to see him, and he did not want to deal with the difficulty of coming to see her. The coordination to make sure he got out of the city without being followed _would_ be a pain in the ass, but she’d have done it for him. Key phrase being _would have_. These days, probably not. But she wouldn’t satisfy him by letting him fade out of her life. When they next spoke on the phone, she wanted to put an end to things. Getting him on the phone was the hard part.

The morning eased along as usual. She’d set up a modest sprinkler system over the weekend which meant that most of her morning chores involved checking on her chickens and goats. Today, however, she went over her fences with a fine-toothed comb after seeing the deer in the security camera. She wasn’t the most handy person, though she’d learned a great deal in the last four months, but she could patch up any holes well enough for them to last the couple of days it might take to get Alex or Shane out to the farm. They’d put up the fences in the first place, doing a damn good job. She couldn’t find any problems along the fence line, much to her relief. Nala seemed satisfied as well, prancing along the fence like she’d built them herself. The farm was doing well, thanks to a little nest egg her grandfather had stowed away for her in a trunk in the closet, but she didn’t want any surprises.

Her stomach growled, and she checked her watch. Lunch time.

She sat down at the table with a glass of iced tea and a turkey sandwich, Nala’s head in her lap, when her phone rang. Her heart lurched as she pulled it out of her pocket, expecting to see Matt’s name on the screen. Instead, it was her best friend Laura.

“You’re lucky you caught me at lunch,” she said, putting the phone on speaker so she could eat and talk easier. “Hope you don’t mind a little chewing and slurping.”

To her surprise, Laura didn’t laugh. “Hey, George. This is kind of serious.”

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. It’s just... Yoba, I don’t know how to even begin.”

Georgia swallowed, her mouth dry. She took a sip of tea while waiting on Laura to get started. “Take your time.”

Laura sighed. “When you moved out of your apartment, you took everything with you, right? And Matt took all of his stuff?”

“Yeah, why? Is Stephanie trying to claim that some weed she got caught with is mine, or something?”

“No, it’s not like that. I went over to see her last night, to drink and watch some trash tv. You know.”

Georgia knew, and a pang of loneliness stabbed at her heart. Laura and Stephanie were two of her best friends, and she would have been right there with them, under different circumstances. Stephanie had even been kind enough to take over Georgia’s lease, even though it was a bit of a stretch for her budget. “I do, go on.”

“Well, I went to use the bathroom. When I cut through the bedroom, I saw a t-shirt on the floor? And it was from a fraternity’s flag football team. Matt’s fraternity.”

Georgia couldn’t breathe. Of course Matt would be sleeping with Stephanie; he wouldn’t even have to change his daily routine, going to the same third-floor walk-up over his favorite ramen bar. Nothing about Matt’s involvement surprised her, or even hurt her if she was being frank. It was Stephanie. One of her best friends, a girl who had been with her since freshman year of college.

“You okay, George?”

Georgia shook her head to clear the building fog, but failed. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. But you’re sure it was Matt’s? Not some other guy who he knew from college?”

“You want to give him the benefit of the doubt, after how shady he’s been?”

Georgia snorted. “I could not give a damn about Matt’s feelings. I guess... Well, I knew he’d been up to something. I just didn’t expect it to be Stephanie, you know?”

“I know.” Laura sounded just as disappointed in Stephanie as Georgia did, which made her miss her friend even more.

“Did you say anything to her?”

“No. Yoba, I’m sorry, I should have.”

“It’s fine. At least now I didn’t have to wake up to a flood of apologetic texts I wasn’t expecting. Should make it easier to dump Matt, too.”

“Let me know how it goes.”

“Will do,” Georgia said, shoving the last bite of her sandwich into her mouth. “I’ve got to get going, Laur - thanks for letting me know, seriously. And pour a drink on Stephanie for me if you see her out this weekend.”

When she got off the phone, Georgia sent a quick text to Matt. “Tell Stephanie I said hi. We’re through.”

For the rest of the afternoon, she channeled her anger into clearing a patch of land behind the chicken coop, hoping she could get Robin to come out and see about expanding the coop later in the week now that the farmhouse had an actual kitchen and indoor plumbing. But try as she might, even chopping wood and breaking rocks did little to soothe her anger. She stood up, stretching her back as the sun began to set.

“Fuck it, I’m going into town and getting drunk.”


	2. take our chances out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can't say I'll always be updating this frequently, but I'm having a lot of fun.

Two hours later, Georgia found herself four beers deep and in the middle of a heated game of pool with Sebastian, Abigail and Sam watching from the side.

“I can’t believe it,” Sam said, his eyes wide. “No one ever gets _close_ to beating Sebastian.”

Georgia flushed; she didn’t know how she was still standing. The first game started simple enough - loser buys the next round. Sebastian beat her fair and square, and it wasn’t even close. 

“I’ll re-rack,” he’d said, not looking up at her. Did he feel bad for her? “Best two out of three.”

“I don’t mind getting the drinks. I made the bet.” She refrained from rolling her eyes, but her hackles rose regardless. Sebastian seemed nice enough, once he warmed up to Georgia, but she didn’t take to pity from anyone.

“Nah, it’s only fair.” He leaned against the high top table where Sam and Abby sat. “I’d been playing for an hour before you got here. Let’s count that one as a warmup.”

She shrugged. “I’m still getting another round. Does anyone want another drink?”

Sam and Abby shot their hands up as soon as she offered, making Georgia laugh as she walked to the bar to grab more beer. Hanging out with the three of them reminded her of her early days in the city, right after college, when she, Laura, and Steph went out on Saturday nights. They couldn’t afford to go to the trendier bars in midtown, so they settled for the sleazy pool hall around the block from their tiny apartment. Despite that, she never improved.

Georgia returned to the pool table with four beers, despite Sebastian not asking for one, and a pizza. “All right, then. Best two out of three?”

Sebastian nodded, taking the beer from her with a grateful smile. “I won’t go easy on you, though.”

“I don’t expect you to, with your reputation on the line like this.”

He snorted, turning back to the pool table with a half smile. He was cute, she realized, watching him set up his shot. She wouldn’t go down that road. Not yet, at least. Besides, she had been watching Abby make eyes at Sebastian all night. Even if it wasn’t mutual, she didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. She might be here a while; she didn’t want to begin on the wrong foot.

A few more rounds of pool, and a few more rounds of drinks, and Georgia faced off with Sebastian in a heated game seven, with Sam running constant commentary in the background. Under normal circumstances Georgia might find his behavior a little annoying, but with the pleasant buzz coursing through her she couldn’t help but giggle.

Two shots into the round, and she fell behind as Sebastian sank ball after ball. “I think you may have me, Seb,” she called across the table as she set up what she assumed would be her last shot.

Sure enough, her beginner’s luck had run dry. The ball hit just shy of the corner pocket, and Sebastian had a perfect shot already lined up. He took over, making quick work of the remaining solids on the table. Georgia held up her hands in surrender. “One more round of drinks then?”

“I’ll drink all night if you’re buying!” Abby called as Georgia returned to the bar. She hadn’t realized how crowded the saloon had gotten while she had been off to the side playing pool, especially for a Thursday. Over half the town talked and laughed with the same people they saw each day. Did they never tire of each other? Living in the same place for years, where you knew everyone and they knew you, seemed foreign to her. She waved at Emily, who nodded, bringing over four of whatever light beer Gus had on tap that night. It wouldn’t surprise her if it was the same thing he had on tap every night, for the past ten years.

“I come bearing gifts!” she announced, setting the tray on the table.

The four of them crowded around the drinks, Sam and Sebastian arguing over who would get the last slice of pizza. Sebastian won out when he pointed out that Sam had been eating and drinking for free all night.

“Not my fault you’re so good at pool,” Sam said, taking a bite of the cold slice before passing it to Sebastian.

“This was fun,” Georgia said after taking a sip of her beer. “Thanks for letting me hang out tonight, guys. It’s been a weird week, and this was much needed. I don’t think I’ve had this much fun since I left the city.”

“Aww, Georgie,” Sam said, leaning his head on her shoulder. Where he’d come up with that nickname, she could not guess. But she hoped it wouldn’t stick around. “We should thank _you_ for knocking Seb’s ego down a peg or two.” Sebastian gave Sam a gentle shove on the shoulder, rolling his eyes.

“Why did you leave the city, Georgia?” Sebastian asked. “If you don’t mind me asking, I mean. I don’t think I’ve heard you talk about it.”

She sighed, looking down at her beer. “I didn’t have a choice. Things in the city got... complicated fast, and it wasn’t working out for me anymore. Nothing too dramatic.” Her face burned from the white lie, but it would be easy enough to pass it off as a side effect of drinking. She upturned her glass, polishing off the beer in a few seconds. Better to get out before she revealed too much.

“I’ve got to get home,” she said, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. “Got an early morning, as usual.”

“Need us to walk you home?” Abigail offered, shooting Sebastian a glare.

“Nah, I got it.” Georgia stood up, wobbling a little.

“Let me know that you get home safe!” Abigail called as Georgia walked toward the door. “Dammit, Seb, you scared her off.”

Georgia chuckled as she overheard that last bit. She couldn’t blame Seb for asking, knowing all he ever talked about was moving to Zuzu. She’d have to come up with a cover story when she was more sober.

Walking down the steps and toward the town square, Georgia started to realized that she may have succeeded in her goal of getting drunk. At least she wouldn’t meet any cars or sleazy men on her way home. Assuming she could get herself home, that is. The cobblestones, quaint as they may be, proved to be difficult to navigate. She had worn her usual going-out shoes - combat boots with a chunky heel - but realized now that she had better stick to flats, or even sneakers.

With that one distracted thought her heel hit the edge of a cobblestone at the wrong angle, and she fell to the ground. “Fuck!” she shouted, before realizing that maybe some townspeople might not want to hear profanities shouted across the town square.

She shifted back in to a seated position, seeing blood dripping from her knee down her shin. As she peered closer at the cut, she caught a sudden movement out of the corner of her eye. Her eyes went wide, and she tried to scoot backwards as someone in the shadows moved toward her. Then the shadow stepped into the streetlight. Harvey.

“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he said as he approached her. “But I saw you fall. Are you okay?”

She laughed in relief as the doctor walked toward her, kneeling down. Much to her surprise, he was wearing sweatpants, a t-shirt, and some slip-on sandals. Quite a change of pace from his usual business casual, but she liked it. A lot.

“I think I just scraped my knee,” she said, once she gathered her thoughts. “I can clean it up once I get back to the farm.”

“Let me check your ankle,” he said, reaching for her foot. “Tell me if you feel any pain.”

Her skin tingled where he touched her lower leg, moving her foot left and right, then rotating it in a small circle. Yoba, how drunk was she?

“All good?” he asked, setting her foot down.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

“Let me walk you home,” he said, standing and reaching down for her.

“I should be okay,” she said, letting him pull her up.

“Nonsense. What if you fall further down the road and injure yourself?”

She shrugged, looking down at her feet. The last thing she needed in this state was to be close to an attractive man, where she might talk too much.

Attractive? She’d never thought of Harvey that way, but seeing him in the streetlight confirmed it. Sure, he had at least ten years on her, but he was tall, had great wavy brown hair, and his shoulders filled out the t-shirt. And his shy smile combined with the glasses and mustache made her melt.

“Yeah, I think you should walk me home,” she said, surprising herself as her face flushed. “Assuming I’m not interrupting, that is?”

“Not at all,” he said, offering his arm. “I was just sitting out on my porch, drinking a beer and listening to the baseball game.”

She shot him a sideways glance as she took his arm. Of course he would be a baseball fan. Thinking of Harvey sitting on his porch, drinking a beer while listening to a game on the radio seemed so wholesome and... almost homey.

“You didn’t want to come to the saloon? Seemed like everyone in town was there tonight.”

He sighed. “It’s not quite my scene. Everyone around my age married years ago, and everyone who is single is a good deal younger than me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, leaning into his arm. “Everyone in this town loves you, Harvey. You should come sometime. We could play pool!”

He chucked. “You play pool?”

“Do now. I almost beat Sebastian, which Sam claims is unheard of.”

“I’ll take you up on that sometime. My regular bar in med school had a pool table, where we would all get together to wind down after stressful days. I got decent, but I haven’t played in years.”

They walked in silence for a few minutes, Georgia focusing very hard on keeping her balance and not leaning too hard on Harvey, though that was easier said than done.

“You go to the saloon much, then?” Harvey asked, not appearing comfortable with the silence.

“Not really,” Georgia said with a sigh. “Today was a shit day, though, so I wanted to go drown my sorrows.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he murmured, patting her hand. “Farming can be tough, or so I’ve heard.”

“It wasn’t even the damn farm,” she said, exasperated. “I had to break up with my boyfriend because he was cheating on me with one of my best friends. And to top if off, he never even texted me back after I broke up with him. Can you believe that? I mean, what an asshole. I already planned on breaking up with him, but the nerve! And don’t get me started on her.”

“Yoba, Georgia, that’s rough,” Harvey said with a sigh. “I can’t even imagine.”

“It’s not very fun,” she murmured, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Like, at all.”

“He sounds like an idiot.”

She looked up at him. “Oh, yeah?”

“For sure,” he said, giving her hand another squeeze. “You’re a catch. If he can’t see that, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

Her stomach somersaulted at his words. “I wouldn’t say I’m a catch.”

“You own your own farm; you’re smart, kind, and funny; and you’re beautiful. So yeah, he sounds like an idiot.”

His sudden frankness caught her off guard, and she almost stumbled again. “You’re too kind, Harvey. For all you know, I’m a horrific troll underneath my kind and beautiful veneer.”

“That’s impossible,” he said. “It may be the beer giving me courage, but you’re a lot more than you give yourself credit for, Georgia.”

At that, they arrived at the gate to the farm. Georgia fumbled around in her pocked for the key. “Nala will be thrilled to see you,” she said, unlocking the gate.

“Ah yes, my dear friend Nala,” Harvey said with a laugh. “Has she missed me?”

“She hasn’t shut up about you for the last two months, so get ready for an enthusiastic greeting.”

As the gate latched behind them, Georgia braced herself for the enthusiastic affections of her dog, but the farm was silent. She turned around, peering into the darkness. “Nala?”

“Maybe she’s asleep,” Harvey said, putting his hand on her back to guide her forward.

“The sound of that gate is Pavlovian for her,” she said, refusing to move. “Even if she was sleeping inside, she’d be barreling out of the dog door by now.”

“Come on, I’ll help you look for her.”

She nodded, swallowing dryly. Moving her feet almost took more willpower than she could muster. Nala never wandered off; she didn’t even realize she could jump the gate if she tried. Dread creeped through Georgia’s bones as they walked up the silent driveway, inching closer to Harvey’s comforting form.

“Hey,” he said, looking down at her. Yoba, she must look ridiculous, scared to walk down her own driveway. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I’m sure she’s okay, just wandered off to the far edge of the property and either hasn’t heard us or hasn’t caught up to us yet. We’ll find her!”

Georgia stopped at the farmhouse to grab a flashlight and change into her work boots. As she expected, Nala was not in the farmhouse. “Are you going to be okay in those sandals?” she called over her shoulder to Harvey.

“Should be. I’ve gone hiking in them a few times.”

She straightened, raising an eyebrow. He stood in the middle of her kitchen, like he was afraid to touch anything, but somehow he did not look out of place. Smiling, she walked toward him and handed him a flashlight.

“What was that look for?”

“Nothing. I guess I just can’t quite picture you hiking.”

He blushed, fiddling with a lock of hair on the back of his head. “It’s great cardio, not to mention the sunshine and fresh air.”

“Whatever you say, doctor.”

“My job would be a lot easier if more people hiked, you know,” he protested, though he couldn’t hide a small smile.

“You’ll have to show me some of the best spots then,” she said, watching his smile broaden at her suggestion.

“I’d be happy to! But first, let’s go find that pup of yours.”

When they stepped out of the farmhouse again, flashlights in hand, Georgia’s stomach knotted up again. Being in the farmhouse with Harvey for those brief moments distracted her from the problem at hand. She walked back up the driveway, scanning back and forth with the heavy flashlight.

“Where are you going?” Harvey called from in front of the farmhouse.

“Just checking some... things,” she said, head on a swivel. She did not see any fresh tire tracks, or any shoe prints that didn’t match her own. Her shoulders relaxed, and she walked back down the driveway to Harvey.

“All good. Let’s go check along the west side of the property.”

He nodded, falling into step beside her. They walked in silence for a few minutes, checking the shadows with their flashlights. After they passed what remained of the greenhouse, Harvey let out a low whistle. “Just how big is this property?”

“Not sure.” Georgia shrugged. “Most of it fell into disrepair as my granddad aged, and I don’t think I’ve cleared even a quarter of it. Much more and I wouldn’t be able to take care of things myself.”

“You seem to be doing a good job, though. I mean, not that I know much about farming or anything, but if you can put food on the table and you’re happy, that’s more than most people can say.”

Georgia sighed. That was the trick, wasn’t it? Being happy. Not that she was unhappy, but she never wanted to be a farmer outside of the tiniest town she’d ever seen. At most, she imagined hiring someone to come out and clean things up, then hiring workers to take care of the farm. The land was too rural to sell, compared to what the financial advisers told her it might be worth in fifty, or even a hundred years. She felt Harvey looking at her, so she just smiled and nodded.

“Nala?” Harvey called into the wooded edges of the property.

“Shh!” Georgia grabbed his arm and shook her head, wide-eyed.

“What?”

“Don’t just go shouting out into the forest, announcing that we don’t have the dog with us.”

He frowned, brows knit together. “But... we’re looking for the dog. What else should we do?”

She shrugged, not sure how to explain herself without breaking the rules. “It’s like... I don’t know, if you thought there was an intruder in the clinic, and you shouted that you didn’t know where your gun was.”

“But I don’t have a gun. An intruder? What is going on, Georgia?”

She wiped her damp hands on her shorts. “Nothing, it’s nothing. It’s fine.” She turned to follow the path south.

“I don’t buy that,” he said, jogging to catch up with her. “You’ve been a bundle of nerves since we set foot onto the farm. Trust me, I can spot anxiety from a mile off.”

She shrugged, not meeting his eye. “It’s weird for Nala to be missing. She likes to wander, but she’s rarely out of earshot of the farmhouse. I guess I still have some anxiety left over from city life, and Nala is my security blanket.” Not the full truth, but not a lie, either. Luckily, it seemed to work.

Harvey’s shoulders relaxed, and he gave her a soft smile. “That makes sense. Sometimes I forget that not everyone is used to the peace of a small town. We’ll find her, I promise.”

Something warm stirred in her heart when he smiled at her. While she couldn’t tell him the whole truth, it felt nice to open up to someone out here, even a little. 

A bark in the distance broke their gaze, and Georgia took off toward the sound with Harvey following a few steps behind her. Nala kept barking as she heard Georgia crashing through the brush, not caring how many scrapes she got on her legs. Pushing back a branch, Nala came into view, crouched next to a tree.

“Dammit, Nala, you scared me to death,” Georgia scolded, though she couldn’t help but hug her muddy dog, who returned the affection with her rough tongue on Georgia’s face.

“Is she okay?” Harvey asked, picking his way through the underbrush.

Georgia ran her hands over Nala’s sides and legs, not finding anything other than mud and brambles. She looked at her collar, finding the source of the problem. “Looks like she got tangled in some brambles, caught her collar and fur.”

“Here,” Harvey said, producing a pocket knife and handing it to her.

“You are full of surprises, you know that?”

He laughed. “No country boy worth his salt would be caught without one.”

She removed Nala’s collar and cut the brambles out of her fur. The moment she freed Nala, the dog leaped up and ran circles around the two of them, stopping at every pass to lick Harvey’s hands.

Georgia handed the knife back to Harvey. “I need to get one of those.”

He grinned, pocketing the knife. “I’d let you keep this one if it wasn’t my favorite.”

The trio walked back to the house in comfortable silence, only interrupted by Nala’s occasional barking. “I hope Nala isn’t too traumatized by her ordeal,” Harvey quipped as the dog sprinted past him.

“I’ll let you know if I think she needs a referral for therapy.”

When they reached the farmhouse, Georgia lingered at the steps for a moment with Harvey. “Thank you for walking me home and helping me find Nala. I don’t know if I could have done it on my own.”

Harvey smiled, looking down at his feet with a hand in his hair. “I’m always happy to help.”

“You want to come in for a drink? Just as a thank you, scout’s honor.”

Harvey blushed up to his ears but shook his head. “Normally I’d take you up on that, but it’s getting late. I’d better be getting back.”

She nodded, understanding. Her usual bedtime passed well over two hours ago. “I’ll see you around, then?” Reaching out, she squeezed his arm.

“You can count on it,” he said, turning to walk down the driveway. Georgia watched him go, escorted to the gate by Nala, surprising herself with the twinge of sadness at his departure.

“I’m just lonely,” she told herself, walking back into the farmhouse. “He’s just being nice, and I’m just lonely.”


	3. still so much I’d like to say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Georgia swings by the clinic to thank Harvey for his help the previous night.

Georgia drug herself out of bed the next morning after hitting snooze three times, thanks to the rain pounding against the windowpane at the head of her bed. Rain meant a limited chore list and an excuse to stay in bed longer than usual, but her animals wouldn’t see it from her perspective. Tugging on her shorts, she stopped in confusion at the sight of scratches and scrapes covering her legs until she remembered the events of the previous night. She shot a reproachful glare at Nala who dozed on the floor at the foot of the bed.

“I hope whatever you chased into the forest last night was worth it.”

Nala stretched out onto her side and let out a satisfied sigh as if to say the chase had been worth it.

Smiling despite her exhaustion, Georgia ruffled Nala’s ears and walked out in to the main room to fix herself a cup of coffee before getting started. As she scooped the grounds into the percolator, a brilliant idea hit her. She doubled the serving of grounds, praying that she wouldn’t max out the ancient percolator before setting it on the stove top.

Sure enough, there was just enough coffee to fill her own mug and her large thermos, which she set on the kitchen table as she went out to check on the chickens and goats. A half hour later, she deposited the milk into the fridge and the eggs onto the counter, before putting half a dozen into a small basket and grabbing the thermos.

The walk into town was less than pleasant, though the going got easier once she reached the main road. Robin had offered to call in one of her friends from Grampleton to lay gravel on Georgia’s driveway more than once, but she could not justify the expense. Judging by the state of the driveway after a night full of rain, she knew she’d have to call him before winter.

When she reached the door of the clinic, Georgia took a deep breath before pushing the door open. The bell above the door rang, but the front desk, along with the waiting room, were empty.

“Be there in a moment!” Harvey called from the back hallway.

“No rush!” Georgia shouted back, hoping he wasn’t with a patient.

She heard a thud from the back, followed by hurried footsteps as Harvey ran out from double doors behind the counter. “Georgia,” he said, face flushed. “What a nice surprise!”

“I thought I said no rush,” she said with a wry smile, pulling the thermos and eggs out of a canvas sack. “Thought I’d drop by with a little thank-you after you helped me last night.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” he said, the red of his cheeks deepening. When his eyes caught the coffee and eggs she placed on the counter, they lit up. “On second thought... I could never turn down coffee, and eggs are an excellent source of essential nutrients.”

Georgia giggled, passing them over the counter to him. “They’re fresh - just be sure to wash them before using them.”

“Thank you so much, Georgia, I mean it.”

“It’s the least I could do. Now, I suppose I’ll let you get back to your patients.”

“Stay!” Harvey blurted, seeming to surprise even himself. “I - I mean, there’s no one else here. Internet’s down, and I don’t have any appointments on the books, so I sent Maru home already. You don’t have to rush out, or anything. Unless you want to, I mean.”

She nodded. “I’d love to stay for a bit. Besides, I’m not trying to rush getting out in that weather again.”

“Great! Have you had breakfast?”

—————

Georgia had never seen Harvey’s apartment above the clinic, but she felt at home the moment she walked through the door. The small studio with its tiny kitchen reminded her of a cleaner, brighter version of her first apartment in Zuzu, with model planes and a few autographed baseballs instead of dead plants and board games lining the shelves. She knew of his affinity for planes, having bumped into him at the library more than once, looking at a large coffee-table book on the history of aviation. To her delight, she saw a brand new copy of said book sitting on his desk, next to a half-painted model plane and a complicated looking radio setup.

Harvey pulled a chair out from the kitchen table for her, and she took a seat. “I’m not much of a cook,” he said, one hand fiddling with his hair. “Hard to cook for one, you know. But I can make a mean omelet, and I should have fresh veggies in the fridge.”

“That sounds great, thank you,” Georgia said, watching him pull a tomato, an onion, and two hot peppers out of the fridge.

“Any objections to these?”

She shook her head, and he nodded, turning back to the counter.

“How long have you been in Pelican Town?” she asked, before taking a sip of her coffee. Despite considering Harvey a friend, Georgia realized she didn’t know much about him.

“It’ll be four years this winter,” he said, chopping the onion and wiping the tears away with a sleeve. “Though I grew up in Grampleton, so it’s not too much of a change.”

“Ah, you’re a small-town boy at heart.”

He chuckled. “Something like that. Always thought I’d move away, though. I worked at a low-income clinic in the city for two years until this job opened up. After I got burnt out with long hours and low pay, this seemed like a good fit. Plus, Jodi needed help with the kids, and -”

“Oh,” Georgia said, her face growing warm. “I didn’t realize you and Jodi were...”

“She’s my step sister,” Harvey interrupted, sensing her confusion. “Her husband Kent is in the army. He had deployed for the first time, and Jodi was having a hard time managing. It’s been easier this time around, but I still help when she needs back up.”

Georgia breathed a sigh of relief, embarrassed that she didn’t pick up on the fact that Harvey and Jodi were step siblings. “That’s so kind of you, to uproot your life to help your family.”

“She’d have done the same for me,” he said matter-of-factly, tossing the vegetables into the skillet with a drizzle of oil. He washed the eggs, before cracking them into a bowl and whisking them with a fork. “We weren’t very close growing up, but after my dad died... well, we didn’t have much family left beyond each other. What about you? Why did you want to become a farmer?”

She laughed, a nervous tension growing in her stomach. “What, don’t I seem like the exact person to dedicate my life to the land?” Deflect, deflect, deflect.

He turned to look at her over his shoulder with a half smile and one eyebrow raised, before turning back to his work. “Of course! You’ve got ‘farmer’ written all over you.”

“Guess I just needed a change of scenery,” she said, after taking a long sip of coffee. “My grandfather used to own the farm, but he died five years ago. He left it to me, but I had no intention of taking over the farm myself. At most, I thought I might one day have someone fix it up and run a small operation for a little extra income, or just sit on the land until the value increased.”

“But you changed your mind?” Harvey folded the omelet, letting it cook for a few seconds more before portioning it onto two plates.

“It’s complicated,” she said as he set a plate in front of her. “I wanted to get out of the city in a hurry, and the farm was the only place I could go. My parents died when I was still in school, and my brother has enough going on with his wife and kids to take in a stray. So, I became a sub-par farmer.”

She took a bite of the omelet, noticing Harvey’s eyes on her. To her surprise, the omelet was good - _really_ good. Not that she doubted Harvey’s cooking abilities, but eggs weren’t a noteworthy meal.

“It is okay?” he asked, fidgeting with his own fork.

“Harvey, this looks great!” She took another bite, followed by a sip of coffee. “Honestly, Harvey, I eat a lot of eggs, and they never taste this good.”

“I only put the ingredients together,” he said with a small smile. “And you grew the ingredients, so we can consider this a group effort.”

She coughed, choking on her food. “What? All of this… from my farm?”

He nodded, sipping his coffee. “You may not think you’re a great farmer, but I don’t think you understand the impact you’ve had on the town. Before you got here, fresh produce was expensive and not great quality. But now, Pierre’s is stocked with organic fruits and vegetables almost year round, at a price point almost anyone can afford.”

Georgia swallowed her food, but she remained speechless. She knew that Pierre sold a good bit of her products in his shop, but she never thought of the lifespan of her produce beyond lining his wallet. “I... wow, I guess I never thought of that. That makes me feel better about my change in career. It’s easier to have a positive effect as a farmer than as a bartender.”

“You were a bartender in the city?”

“For the last six months, before I moved, at a bar attached to a brewery. In fact, I might try my hand at brewing beer this winter, maybe making a little wine.”

Harvey’s eyes lit up. “If you need a guinea pig to try your wine, I’ll volunteer.”

“Not sure why, but I assumed you were more of a beer guy,” she said, tilting her head.

“I only drink beer when I listen to baseball,” he said. “Like last night. My dad used to take me to Comets games in the city when he was still around, and that’s where I had my first beer. It’s more of a nostalgia thing than a preference.”

“In that case, I _will_ make wine this year.”

Harvey blushed, raising his eyebrows. “You’d do that for me?”

“Of course! I don’t know much about wine, so I’d love to have your input. If you have time, I mean. I’m sure you get busy as it gets colder.” Though she chalked his flustered nature up to his anxiety, she couldn’t help but find it charming. With little internal debate, she decided that she would like to see more of Harvey, even more so if that meant sharing a bottle of wine instead of a bottle of antiseptic for the injuries that came with her foray into farming.

“About as busy as a small town doctor can get,” he sighed. “But I will make time for wine, with the promise of such good company.”

—————

The two chatted for far longer than Georgia intended until she checked the time on her phone. “Dammit, I hate to run, but I’ve got to swing by Clint’s before he gets ready to close up shop for the day. I know I’ll run into at least three people who want to stop and chat on my way across town.”

“Even in this weather?”

“You’d be surprised how intriguing a new person can be in a small town.”

Harvey chuckled, nodding. “Ah, I remember those days, although it didn’t last as long for an awkward, gangling doctor as I’m sure it has for you.”

She cocked her head to the side. “You’re not what I would call ‘gangling,’ or awkward.”

“Not anymore,” he said, looking at his clasped hands. “Well, I still consider myself awkward, at least. But when I first moved here, after two years of poor diet and stress, I was tall and skinny, wearing my old clothes that had become much too big for me. My diet still leaves a lot to be desired, but a decent fitness routine has done wonders for my health.”

“Ah yes, the hiking?”

“Among other things. I may or may not have started off in a jazzercise class with the local moms, but I’d prefer it if that stayed between the two of us.”

She giggled as she reached across the table, laying her hand on his. “I’ll keep your secret safe.”

He chuckled, turning pink at the over-the-top sincerity in her voice and gesture, his breath hitching as she squeezed his hand before letting go.

She smiled, glad he got the joke. Although... was it a joke? The way he opened up to her about his past, even the small things, did things to her heart rate that she hadn’t felt in years. After years of men telling her what she wanted to hear, playing games and dodging any real honesty, his sincerity meant more to her than she could put into words.

“Ah, let me walk you down to the door,” Harvey said, standing up.

Georgia, yanked from her thoughts, grabbed her bag and stood up, walking through the door he held open for her and back downstairs.

“Thanks again for the eggs and the coffee, and the company, too. I’d have gone stir crazy cooped up in here by myself today.”

“The pleasure was all mine. Thanks for... well, for making me feel welcome. I’m glad that we’re becoming friends.”

The corners of Harvey’s mouth gave a slight tug downward. “Right. Me too, I’m glad that we’re friends.”

She cringed at her word choice. She saw no sign that anything was headed in a more-than-friends direction, nor that it ever would, but she didn’t want to box herself out with this handsome doctor.

“I’d better be going,” she said, turning to the door.

“Georgia, wait!” Harvey blurted, grabbing at her hand.

Her heart rate quickened, and she felt her face grow warm at his touch.

“If - if you ever need anything, just let me know, okay? I’m always around, if you need me.”

“With an offer like that, I might just need to get your phone number. Just in case, right?” She pulled out her phone and handed it to him. “Put it in my phone - I’ll text you so you have mine too.”

“Right,” he said, swallowing hard as he took her phone. He seemed to swing back and forth between confident and anxious, sitting square in anxious territory as he tapped his number into her phone.

“I hope your number is good for more than just a medical emergency,” she said with a smirk, taking her phone back.

“Of course!” he spluttered, the color returning to his cheeks.

“Good.” She reached out and squeezed his arm before turning to the door. “See you around, Harvey.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i could swear that at one point sam references going to see "uncle doctor," so i took that tiny piece of dialogue and ran with it.
> 
> thanks for reading!


	4. stuck in the storm

Georgia always loved a late summer thunderstorm, but tonight’s storm seemed different, almost ominous. For one, little rain fell despite the near constant thunder and lightening. At Maru’s suggestion, she set up a few lightening rods around the property, though she suspected that they may be more for one of Maru’s many inventions than for her own safety.

Even Nala was on edge, pacing and staring out the windows, letting out the occasional low bark as branches scratched against the windowpane. The sun had already begun to set, but Georgia felt the need to check on her goats and chickens one last time to ease the knot building in her stomach. Despite the relatively dry weather, she donned a raincoat, rubber boots, and hurried out the door. Much to Nala’s dismay, she latched the dog door behind her. The last thing she wanted to do in this kind of weather was chase down a lost dog.

She stuck her head into the chicken coop first. The birds seemed a little disgruntled, whether from the storm or from the beam of her flashlight she could not be sure, but the doors and windows remained latched tight. Closing the door behind her, she heard a crack so loud that she shouted, dropping her flashlight. As if in slow motion, a bolt of lightening hit a dead tree across the field, near the barn where her three goats lived. The tree began to smoke within seconds, flames building at the top of the trunk.

Georgia ran as fast as her boots would let her, jacket streaming out behind her. Throwing open the barn door, she startled the already nervous goats by mistake. Wasting no time, she grabbed a rope and pulled off her jacket, using it to cover the first goat’s - Phoebe’s - face. Would this even work for a goat? Georgia had seen enough movies to know that a scared horse would be easier to handle with its face covered, and she couldn’t afford to take any chances. Looping the rope around Phoebe’s neck, she guided the goat out of the barn toward a small cave in the back of the property.

Thankfully, Phoebe cooperated, letting Georgia lead her into the cave and weigh down the end of the rope with a couple of large rocks. “This is temporary,” Georgia said, removing her jacket from Phoebe’s head. “Just please don’t eat through this rope, I’m begging you.”

The next goat, Rachel, was just as easy as Phoebe, letting Georgia lead her to safety. But by the time she got back to the barn for Monica, the far end had already begun to burn. The poor girl stood shaking in the far corner, bleating and looking around for her sisters.

“Come on, Mon,” Georgia coaxed, tying the jacket over her eyes. “Lets go and find your sisters, hmm?”

Monica locked her knees, refusing to move forward despite not being able to see the danger any longer. Georgia tried twice more to pull her forward, but the goat wouldn’t budge. Steeling herself, she bent down and lifted the goat, carrying her out of the barn. Luckily, Monica was the smallest of the bunch, though she did not make the job any easier by staying still. Once she was out of the barn, Georgia lead her into the cave with the others.

Not wanting to leave the goats for too long, Georgia stepped to the mouth of the cave. She pulled her phone out, dialing Lewis first.

“Hi Lewis, it’s Georgia - I’m good, but I need - yes, the weather is awful, in fact - no, my power is still on - dammit Lewis, one of my fields and the barn are on fire - that’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! Yes, if you could get someone out here ASAP, that would be great.” She hung up before Lewis had the chance to interrupt her again.

Next up was Shane, who had already seen the smoke and was halfway up the south drive already, Marnie soon to follow once she could drop Jas at Jodi’s house.

Sinking to the ground, Georgia watched helplessly as the flames set in on her blueberry bushes, then her corn. She couldn’t cry, couldn’t even feel angry. All of her work and her struggles over the last six months sat rooted in the path of the fire.

Shane pulled up, barely having time to put the truck in park before he came running over to her at the mouth of the cave. “I saw the barn - are the goats...?”

A bleat from Rachel answered his question, and the relief was palpable on his face. “Thank Yoba. Doesn’t look like the fire will have an easy time reaching the chickens, so we’re safe on that front.”

Despite the current circumstances, Georgia couldn’t help but marvel at Shane’s deep compassion and concern for animals while seeming to have none for people. She shrugged the feeling away, patting him on the back. “Thanks for coming. I didn’t know who else to call, especially with the animals.”

“Didn’t even have to call,” he muttered, kicking at the dirt. “I had the keys in my hand a second after I saw the smoke.”

“Still,” she said, catching his eye. “It means a lot. I don’t know what I’d do with these animals without you.”

Shane opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of Lewis’s truck flying down the drive interrupted him. Lewis hopped out of the cab, with Willie and Clint hopping out of the bed with a massive fire hose, running over to the water pump.

“Don’t you worry, Miss Georgia,” Lewis said, walking over to her and Shane as the other two men began hosing down the barn. “We’ll have this taken care of real quick, no need to fret.”

She cocked an eyebrow at his use of the word “we,” but the creak of the passenger side door of his truck caught her attention. Looking over his shoulder, she saw Harvey climbing out of the truck. With no concern for anything else Lewis might have to say, she took off running toward Harvey.

“Georgia!” he called, jogging over to her. “Are you hurt?”

She shook her head, stopping herself just shy of hugging him. He held her arms, looking her over. “No burns,” she said. “Don’t think I have any scrapes worse than my daily wear and tear.”

“Thank Yoba,” he muttered, brushing the hair out of her face and looking her over. “Lewis called me right after you got off the phone with him. Why didn’t you call me?”

She paused, not sure how to answer his question. “I - I wasn’t thinking about myself or my health. Just about my goats, my property. That’s why I called Shane and Lewis.”

Harvey’s mouth set in a straight line. “Let’s get you inside, then.”

“No,” she said, pulling an arm from his grip. “This is my farm, Harvey. My farm. I’ve got to stay and help.” With that, a long coughing fit forced its way out, and she struggled to catch her breath.

“Georgia,” he said, his voice taking on a more authoritative tone. “You need to go inside, away from the smoke. Shane and the rest will take care of everything out here.”

She nodded, still gasping for air. Harvey reached into the truck to grab his bag before helping her inside.

As usual, Nala greeted Harvey with enthusiasm, though her attention remained focused on the commotion going on outside. He helped Georgia sit down on the couch. “Where’s your inhaler?”

“The bathroom,” she murmured, waving toward the bathroom door.

He nodded, disappearing behind the door before returning with her inhaler and a damp, cool washcloth. She took one puff of the inhaler as he wiped her face and hands down with the washcloth. She resisted leaning into his touch, knowing that he was there as a medical professional, nothing more. It took all her willpower to keep from explaining why she called Shane instead of him, that Shane disliked her at best and only cared about the well-being of her animals, that she would have called him once she knew her farm was out of danger, that she was so incredibly grateful that he was here, even if it was just as her doctor. But all she did was close her eyes as he cleaned her up, taking a second and final puff from her inhaler, willing her emotions to die down.

He pulled a light and a tongue depressor from his bag. “Open up,” he said, looking into her throat as she complied. Had she brushed her teeth in the past few hours?

“Looks good,” he said, removing the tongue depressor. “Your throat doesn’t seem irritated beyond what I would expect from an asthma flare-up. But call me if you cough up dark mucous or are still having extended coughing fits.”

“I will. I promise.”

Harvey stood up, helping her to her feet. “Why don’t you go finish watching up and get into some clean clothes? I’ll get some tea started.”

She nodded. “Thank you, Harvey. Tea is in the cabinet above the microwave.”

Georgia took a quick shower, ridding herself of the grime and the smell from the fire, before slipping into some old leggings and an old flannel of her dad’s. When she walked back into the main room, Harvey and his bag were nowhere to be found. On the kitchen table sat a mug of tea with a note underneath that read “I hope you feel better. Let me know how you’re feeling in the morning. - H” Underneath, he’d drawn a little smiley face, causing a smile to break out on her own face.

The door opened in front of her. “What’re you smiling at?” Shane asked in his usual gruff manner.

“Oh, nothing,” she said quickly, tucking the note into her shirt pocket.

“Okay,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “The fire is out. Rain started just as they put out the barn, so the crops were easy enough.”

“How bad is the damage?” she asked. Might as well cut to the chase.

Shane grimaced. “Come see for yourself.”

Georgia slipped back into her work boots, following Shane out the door. Her hands clutched the mug of tea like she wanted to clutch Harvey’s hands, steeling herself as she anticipated the fire damage.

In the grand scheme of things, the damage could have been worse. Or at least, that’s what she told herself. The scene in front of her felt surreal, the fresh scent of wet earth barely discernible underneath the acrid smoke. The fire had wiped out all of her blueberry bushes, along with the wine she planned to make with them. Half the corn, and a decent amount of the hops still stood, much to her relief. Only a burnt-out skeleton of the barn remained, smoke still pluming from the rafters.

“I’m going to put up a make-shift fence outside the cave before I head home,” Shane said, gesturing toward Marnie standing with the three goats. “The goats can’t stay in the chicken coop - they’d get into the feed, and that would be a new set of problems on top of all of this.”

Georgia nodded, not willing to admit that she had been planning to house the goats in the coop until Robin could repair the barn. “Thanks,” she rasped, still feeling as though she were watching the scene happening from a distance.

“Don’t mention it,” he said, and she took him at his word.

“What am I going to do?” She looked around, fighting to keep her anxiety at bay as she began calculating the cost of the damage in her head.

“I’ve seen people come back from much worse in this little town. We take care of our own.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading :) this one was a little shorter, but the next will be longer and have more harvey!
> 
> https://the-in-between-honey.tumblr.com/


	5. brush the ashes off your shoulders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The town comes together to help Georgia recover from the fire, but a surprise guest throws her off balance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for some reason, editing the chapter was more of a struggle than usual. on the bright side, it means i've been able to draft a few chapters ahead! hopefully updates won't be as spotty from here on out

Georgia stood over her stove the next morning, waiting for her coffee to finish and dreading looking outside her front door. She’d gotten little sleep the night before, getting up twice to check on the goats in their makeshift shelter. Despite the lack of sleep, she knew she wouldn’t feel any better until she got to work.

The slam of a truck door started her, and she reached for her phone instinctively. She’d missed the notification from her driveway sensor. Peeking out the curtain, she recognized Pierre’s truck. Had Lewis missed his nightly pickup? That would make sense after the night they’d all had.

Pouring a cup of coffee, she opened the front door to let a whining Nala out to greet her guest. To her surprise, Pierre was not loading up goods from her shipping box, but Sam and Abigail were unloading bags of something from the truck. They stopped and waved before getting right back to work.

Confused, Georgia slipped on a pair of sandals and walked down to the truck. Pierre hadn’t ordered anything for her, at least not at her request. She almost dropped her cup of coffee when she saw what the two were unloading - bags and bags of speed-grow and fertilizer.

“Guys,” she said, hurrying over to the tailgate. “I’m not sure if there’s been a mix-up, but I didn’t order any of this. Besides, there is no way I can afford all of this after last night.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Abigail said, wiping her hands on her old pair of jeans. “It’s on the house.”

“No, no, no.” Georgia went to grab one bag of fertilizer, but Sam stopped her. “I can’t let you do this. Tell your dad I said thank you, but I know how much this stuff costs. Surely he can’t afford to just give it away!”

“Between you and me,” Abigail muttered over the sound of Sam dragging a bag out of the truck bed. “My dad makes a killing in profit off of his farming supplies. Besides, selling your produce has doubled the foot traffic at the store. Think of it as a thank-you gift, if anything.”

Georgia put a hand over her mouth, willing herself to not cry. After all the help she had received the night before, she assumed that she would be on her own from here on out. Everyone had already gone above and beyond. But before she had a chance to get too emotional, Nala let out a bark and ran down the south drive, where Alex and Shane were walking up with their hands full of tools and what looked like a basket of baked goods from Alex’s grandmother. With a wave, Alex set the food on the front porch and the two set about seeing what they could salvage of the fences.

Over the course of the day, neighbors came and went, helping out however they could. While Shane and Alex worked on the fences, Robin looked at the barn. She determined most of the structure to be a total loss, but the back shed took the least amount of damage and had plenty of room for the goats for the time being. Demetrius and Maru repaired the sprinkler system, even coming up with plans for an improved system they wanted to implement in the spring. Marnie brought a few bags of chicken feed and some hay for the goats. Sam and Abigail, and Sebastian after he arrived just before lunch, got to work on tilling the fields and planting seeds to replace the lost crops, another gift from Pierre.

Any time Georgia tried to step in to help beyond providing direction and instruction, the nearest person shooed her back to the porch steps. Jodi and Caroline came around lunch, with a lunch delivery from the Saloon. Even Leah and Elliot came, despite barely knowing Georgia, helping to clear the burnt-out land and running snacks and water out to the rest of the volunteers.

Georgia found herself speechless at the generosity from her neighbors, not only of their hard-earned money, but their time and labor as well. Sitting the porch with Nala, who panted with exhaustion from all of the ‘helping’ she had done over the course of the morning, she munched on one of Granny Mullner’s cookies. Small voices drifted down the driveway, where Penny walked up with Vincent and Jas.

The two children ran over to “help” the volunteers, and Penny smiled shyly and sat down on the porch near Georgia. She’d never gotten to know the quiet woman beyond the occasional hello in town, but she offered the plate of cookies to her. “Please don’t make me finish these myself.”

Penny giggled, taking a cookie for herself. “Just don’t tell the kids. We’ve been talking about healthy eating this week, and I’d never hear the end of it!”

—————

Georgia collapsed onto the couch, breathing a sigh that landed somewhere between relief and exhaustion. Over the course of the day, her neighbors had cleared and replanted over half of the burnt-out land, and a strong start made on repairing the fences. The barn, on the other hand, might be a total loss. At least she held off on buying a cow a little while longer.

Just as her eyes drifted closed, a knock on the door startled them open again. She clumsily rolled off of the couch and made her way to the door, where Nala already stood with her paws against the door frame with her tail wagging. Lugging the massive dog out of the way, she opened the creaking door.

“Damnit, Nala.” The dog ran past her visitor, almost knocking him off his feet. She looked up, pleased to see Harvey standing at the door, holding a six pack of craft beer and a box of pizza from the saloon.

“I’m sorry I didn’t stop by earlier today with the rest of the town,” he blurted out, as if he needed to explain his unexpected presence. “I was helping an old friend from med school run a vaccine clinic in the city today, but I figured you might want a little comfort food after all the work today.”

Georgia threw her arms around his neck, causing him to take a step backward to keep his balance. She let go once her mind caught up with her actions, face warming at her impulsive gesture.

“I take that as a yes?”

“You can take that as a _hell_ yes.” Georgia opened the door wider, inviting him in.

Harvey sat the pizza and beer on her tiny kitchen table, standing next to the table as if he did not know what to do with himself. Even though he’d been over before, Georgia felt self-conscious. All she could see was the shabby rug, the dirty clothes that missed the hamper, and the slightly overflowing trash can. “I’m sorry it’s such a wreck in here. Between me and Nala, and everything today, it’s just been -“

“You don’t have to explain anything to me,” Harvey said. “You’ve had a hell of a day. Besides, it’s cleaner than my apartment.”

Georgia raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Harvey, I’ve seen your apartment. You could eat off the floor without too much worry.”

“You just saw it on a good day.” He blushed, reaching around to fiddle w ith his hair.

“Either way” she said, reaching out to give his arm a squeeze. “I really appreciate you bringing this out here, honestly.”

“It’s the least I could do. Farm work isn’t really part of my skill set, so…” He trailed off for a moment, turning to the door. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you to it! I’ll see you around?”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Georgia pulled the two chairs out from her kitchen table. “You’re staying to help me eat this giant pizza, right?”

Harvey turned back to face her, his entire face lit up. “Really? You want me to stay?”

“Please! Help yourself. It sounds like you’ve had a long day, as well.”

“You have no idea. A line was out the door for most of the day, all screaming children and tired mothers. But we managed to treat over a hundred low-income families, so it was worth any stress.” Harvey hung his jacket on the back of the chair before sitting down and loosening his tie. A wavy lock of hair fell over his forehead, and Georgia tried to hide her smile by rummaging around in the cabinets for two plates and matching glasses.

“What?” Harvey asked, returning her smile.

“I like it when you loosen up a bit. It’s a good look on you.”

She returned to the table with mismatched plates, but she soon found two matching glasses branded with the same brewery as the beer Harvey brought. After carefully pouring a glass for each of them and putting a slice of pizza on each plate, she sat down and raised her glass.

“To excellent endings to shitty days.”

“I’ll drink to that.”

Before Georgia could swallow the first sip of beer, she heard Nala let loose a loud string of barks, immediately followed by her phone chiming and tires on the gravel. Opening her phone, she checked the front porch camera, seeing the front bumper of a familiar blue car. “Shit.”

“Expecting more company?” Harvey asked, his voice full of caution.

“Unfortunately, no.” She stood up from the table, going to peek out the window. Nala barked circles around the blue sedan, but the driver got the door open easily enough. The moment she saw the back of Matt’s head, she spun back around to face Harvey.

Her panic must have shown all over face, based on his sudden wide-eyed stare. Eyes darting from him to the door, she decided to use the few seconds available to fill him in. “My ex just pulled up.”

“Oh...do you want me to go?” He tightened his lips, brows raised. The same expression from the night before, when he’d asked about Shane.

Nala’s barking got closer; she must be following him up the front walk, Georgia thought with a sense of wicked glee. Matt never cared for dogs. “I’d really like for you to stay, Harv. Matt’s an ass _and_ an idiot, based on tonight alone, and I’ll get rid of him as quickly as I can. Just didn’t want you to get caught off-guard.”

“Thanks,” Harvey said just as Matt knocked on the door.

Georgia groaned, turning to the door and throwing it open. “What?”

“Nice to see you too, babe,” Matt said with a chuckle as he tried to step around her. Georgia didn’t budge. He seemed to have come prepared to sweep her off of her feet, wearing a nice polo and jeans, with a crisp jacket on top. A waft of cologne hit her nose, but he must have forgotten which one triggered her migraines and spared no expense.

“You’re not coming inside.”

“You’re really going to leave me out here with this mangy mutt? Come on, I know you’re not still that mad at me.”

“I’m not, but I’m having a lovely evening and don’t want you to spoil things for my guest.”

Matt peeked over her shoulder, eyes widening when he saw Harvey. She winced, imagining sweet, nervous Harvey enduring Matt’s lingering stare. The two men could not have been more different. “Let’s take this outside,” she said, grabbing Matt by the arm. “Just give me five minutes, Harvey. Help yourself to the pizza, please.”

Harvey nodded, his face redder than she’d ever seen it. Yoba, if that didn’t make her blood boil even more than it already had.

Out on the front porch, Nala settled down at Georgia’s side, though she kept a wary eye on Matt, letting out an occassional _boof_ in warning.

“What in Yoba’s name are you doing out here?”

“ _Yoba_? Really, Georgia? This is some real hick shit out here.” He chuckled, looking around at the farm. “Damn, this really does suck.”

She rolled her eyes, putting her fingers to her temple. “I really don’t need to be dealing with this today. It’s been a rough week, and you’re not welcome here.”

“Come on, babe,” he said, putting his hand on her arm before she pulled away. Nala stood up, nosing in between them. “Don’t you miss me? I came to apologize.”

“For what, exactly? For cheating on me? For not caring to come visit for over six months? Did Steph finally dump you, or something?”

“For everything,” Matt said, his voice growing softer as he tried to step around Nala. “I really fucked up, and I want to make it up to you.”

“By putting my life in danger, you mean?” She struggled to keep her voice down, not wanting to cause Harvey any alarm.

Matt scoffed, crossing his arms. “You’re not still on about all that, are you? Damn, you’re paranoid.”

“You drove your own car out here, where anyone could have followed you from the city. And I know you well enough that you didn’t take any precautions to keep that from happening.”

“Geez, Georgia,” he said with a mocking smile. “You’re delusional, you know that? All of my friends thought you were crazy, packing up and moving out here without any kind of a plan. And I’m starting to think they were right. After all, if someone wanted you dead, they’d have already taken care of you.”

Her body pulsed with anger as she clenched and unclenched her fists behind her folded arms. “The only reason I’m _not_ dead is that I came out here, and you know that. Even still, you just recklessly drove out here because what, you wanted to fuck?”

“I wanted to show you how wrong you were for keeping me away for so long. How it’s easy for me to come out for a visit whenever I’d like.” His face lit up as an idea struck him. “Ah, I think I’ve got it figured out. You wanted to keep your new country boyfriend hidden away from me, is that it? You’re with the guy sitting in the kitchen.”

She cringed, hoping Harvey couldn’t hear what Matt said. Even though she knew Matt just wanted to justify his own bad behavior, she didn’t want Harvey to get the wrong idea. “I never cheated on you.”

“Well you seem ready to hop into bed quick enough after dumping me over a text message.”

“At least I waited until after dumping you.”

Matt opened his mouth but failed to come up with a response. “Whatever. Go have fun with your new hick boyfriend.”

“Don’t let the gate hit your car on the way out.” With that, she turned and walked back into the house, holding the door open for Nala to follow. After closing the door behind her, she locked the deadbolt and waited with her ear to the door until Matt descended the front steps.

She turned back to Harvey, who sat at the kitchen table with his hands clasped in his lap, eyes trained on the slice of pizza he hadn’t touched. “I’m so, so sorry about that, Harvey.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said, smiling despite the slight strain in his voice. “He seems...charming.”

She gave a dark laugh, sitting back down at the kitchen table. “Believe it or not, I used to think so. But I’m glad to see him gone, and glad to have better company. Shall we get back to our pizza?”

“We shall,” Harvey said, finally picking up his slice. After his first bite, he looked over at Georgia. “You know...you could have let him know we’re just friends.”

She swallowed dryly, wincing as she realized he must have been able to hear their conversation. “I could have, but I doubt it would have made a difference. Once he gets an idea in his head, he’ll never admit to being wrong. Besides...” She paused, hoping she had not stumbled a bit too far.

“Besides what?” Harvey’s voice barely registered above a whisper, his glass forgotten halfway to his mouth.

She shrugged, smiling shyly into her beer. “I’m not going to friend zone myself with a handsome doctor.” When she dared to look at him, he was fiddling with his loosened tie, trying and failing to hide a beaming smile. 


	6. i would

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harvey likes pickled okra, and Georgia finds out the inspiration behind his mustache.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so first, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the kind comments and the kudos. you guys are amazing, and each one warms my heart :) 
> 
> second, SORRY for how long it's been since i updated. real life has been a pain in the ass, but things are finally headed back to normal.

Georgia walked into the clinic, doing her best to balance two cups of coffee along with a jar of pickles. “Harvey?”

The waiting room was empty, and Maru had Wednesday’s off. Maybe Harvey had gone out early to run some errands? Or he was in the back with a patient? She mentally kicked herself for not calling ahead to see if he was available today.

She sat the jar of pickles down on the front counter, leaning over the top in search of something she could use to leave a note. A pen and a pad of sticky notes sat just out of reach. Leaning further forward, her feet left the ground as she stretched to grab onto the pen.

As if on cue, the bell above the clinic door rang. Shit. There she was, leaning over the clinic’s front desk in full view. Knowing her luck, it would be Caroline, ready to spread gossip about the tattoo peeking out from underneath the bottom of the new farmer’s shorts.

“Oh!”

She cringed at the sound of Harvey’s voice, sliding back down until her feet hit the floor. She couldn’t bear to turn around.

Harvey walked around to stand next to her. “Uh…is everything okay, Georgia?”

Georgia straightened her shoulders and attempted to will away the warm flush rising in her cheeks. “Oh, there you are!” Did that sound as breezy as she meant? Too late now.

Harvey chuckled, setting a gym bag down on the floor next to him. Gone were the slacks, loafers, and button-down she expected to see him in this time of day. Harvey - the quiet, unassuming small-town doctor - wore a sleeveless t-shirt, gym shorts, and sneakers. A few damp curls clung to his temples, and a few drops of sweat lingered on his glasses. And he looked damn good. How had she never noticed that he was really quite fit? Sure, he mentioned using fitness as a way to cope with his anxiety, but hiking surely had not contributed to the muscle he’d been hiding under his usual business casual attire.

Georgia opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, trying to find words, any words at all. “Pickles!” she said suddenly, picking up the jar as if it couldn’t have been more obvious. “They’re for you, I mean. I hope okra is okay, I didn’t grow any cucumbers this year.”

“Seriously?” His face lit up as he took the jar of pickles from her. “I love pickled okra. You made these?”

She could not keep herself from matching his wide smile. “I found an old recipe book of my grandma’s in the attic, so I decided to give it a try. Lucky for you, I needed a second opinion.”

“I thought you didn’t like pickles?”

“Oh I love pickles, just not the idea of making them. I’ve never been the most patient person, but I thought it would be a good test for myself before getting into wine making. Then when you mentioned how much you liked them, I made sure to test out a few recipes.”

Harvey looked up at her, eyes wide and a soft smile slowly growing on his face. “This is…this means a lot, Georgia. I can’t remember the last time someone brought me a gift, just because they wanted to.”

“Who said I didn’t have ulterior motives?” Georgia crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Do you?” The smile on his face fell. Once again, she was kicking herself.

“I’m trying to butter you up so that you’ll come out to the farm for dinner with me some time this week.”

Harvey chuckled nervously, fiddling with the twine tied around the mouth of the pickle jar. “You mean it?”

“Of course I do, Harvey.” She put her hand on his lower arm.

“I feel kind of bad…” He trailed off, brows knitted together. Shit, was he about to turn her down? “I feel like I should host, since you had me stay for dinner the other night. But my oven isn’t working right now, and I don’t really know how to cook anyway, and…”

Relief washed over her. “How about a compromise, then? Robin just expanded my kitchen, thank Yoba I got that paid for before half the farm burned down, and I love to cook. You can bring a bottle of wine and help me in the kitchen, maybe even learn a little something. Friday?”

Harvey smiled again, the tension in his shoulders relaxing, and Georgia’s heart did a tiny somersault. “That sounds great.”

“I’ll see you Friday around seven, then? If not before.” She hands him the nearly-forgotten cup of coffee as well.

Harvey takes the coffee, wide-eyed. “That works for me.”

“Then it’s a date! And don’t worry about dressing up - I’d hate for Nala to ruin another pair of your slacks. She’ll be thrilled to see you!”

With that, she gave Harvey a final smile as she stepped out of the clinic door, feeling light as air.

—————

Stepping out of the shower that night, Georgia froze with towel in hand as a loud thump sounded against the back wall of the farm house, quickly followed by a second. Her adrenaline spiked as she hastily wrapped the towel around herself, dashing into her bedroom to get dressed.

As she opened the top drawer of her dresser, she heard another thump from just outside her bedroom window. She clumsily slipped on some sweatpants and an old flannel before rushing to close the curtains without peering outside of the window, not that she would be able to see anything in the inky darkness. The doors and windows were all locked; she never got into the shower without double-checking them, and a quick glance at her phone confirmed it.

She lowered the lights throughout the house before settling in on her couch, still too nervous to turn on the television. Another thump made her jump and shoot Nala a resentful glare as she slept on the rug in front of the fireplace. How could her watchdog be so calm when she could feel her heart in her throat?

Before she could psych herself out, she pulled out her phone to call Harvey. He’d said to let him know if she ever needed anything, right? She walked into the bathroom as the phone rang, where she could speak loudly enough that he could hear her without anyone lurking outside hearing her.

“Georgia?” he asked. “Is everything okay?”

She thanked Yoba that it didn’t sound like she had woken him up, though it was barely past nine on a Wednesday. “Hey Harvey. This may sound weird, or kind of paranoid, or... I don’t know, but I keep hearing thumping noises outside.”

“Like footsteps?”

“I don’t know, but it’s got me really freaked out.”

“I’ll come check it out for you.”

“You sure?” It was exactly was she wanted, but she didn’t want him to feel obligated.

“Of course. I’ll have to postpone my evening plans of reading a dry medical journal with a glass of wine, but I believe that The Lancet won’t mind a rain check. I’ll be right out.”

“Yoba, thank you.”

“You got it. See you in a bit!”

She walked out of the bathroom, waiting near the door. Her phone chimed when Harvey passed the driveway sensor, followed soon by a knock at the door. She hurriedly unlocked it, ushering him inside the farmhouse.

“Hey,” he murmured, giving her a hug. “Everything okay?”

She shook her head. “I heard the thump twice more after we got off the phone. It’s near the window next to my bed.”

“Right,” Harvey said, nodding. She noticed he’d brought a baseball bat with him, which made her want to hug him over again. “Can I borrow one of your flashlights? All I’ve got is the one on my phone, and it’s not the best.”

She handed him a flashlight, and he opened the door. “Be right back.”

“Please be careful,” she whispered. He nodded, closing the door.

She waited patiently, her heart so loud in her ears that she wouldn’t be able to hear another thump. On occasion, she caught a glimpse of the beam of Harvey’s flashlight, but nothing else. After what felt like ages, he shuffled back in through the front door.

“Did you see anything?”

“Not sure,” he said, doing little to ease her fears. “It looked like some of the firewood out behind the house had been knocked down recently, but I couldn’t tell when or by what.”

“I knew I’d regret not putting cameras out back,” she muttered, more to herself than to Harvey.

“You have cameras?”

She nodded, walking over to the stove to put the kettle on.

“I really don’t want to pry, Georgia, but after this, and everything with Matt the other day... are you okay? Are you safe?”

She sighed, leaning her back against the kitchen cabinet. “I can trust you,” she said - a statement, not a question.

“Of course,” he said, walking over to stand in front of her. “Any of your secrets are safe with me. I just want to know that you’re safe.”

“This is a big one, Harv.” She took the kettle off, instead reaching for a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Stay for a drink?”

He nodded, taking a seat at the kitchen table as she poured two rather large glasses of Merlot.

“It’s more than just a personal secret,” she said, taking a seat across from him. “As in, I’ve been told by law enforcement not to tell anyone.”

“I don’t want you breaking any laws for me,” he said quickly.

She shook her head. “It will be fine. It’s not illegal, per se. I’m the only person that would face any negative consequences, anyway. And I’ve got to tell someone before I explode.”

He nodded, taking a sip of his wine. “Okay. Tell me what you’ve got.”

“I didn’t just decide to become a farmer for a change of scenery, or to get away from my boyfriend, or because I lost my job. Honestly, I can’t keep up with all of the tales I’ve been spinning since I arrived in an effort to keep from attracting attention.” She paused, taking a sip of the wine. “In truth, I’m... I’m kind of in the witness protection program.”

Harvey’s eyebrows shot up, but he did his best to hide his shock. “Kind of?”

She shrugged, looking down to pick the last remaining bit of polish off her thumbnail. “That’s the best way I can think to explain it. Neither Zuzu nor state police have the budget to officially relocate me, give me a new identity, the sort of thing you see in the movies.”

“Can I ask why? What happened?”

It was a fair question. And why shouldn’t she tell him, as long as he already knew the bigger picture? “I used to live in a kind of shitty part of Zuzu, not too long after college. My roommate convinced me the neighborhood was on the rise - you know, new restaurants, bars, that kind of thing. She didn’t tell me that taking one step off the main road would...” She paused, taking a deep breath.

“I saw a guy get shot. Not for the first time, either, but this one seemed like a bigger deal than the first. I thought it was just a run-of-the-mill drive by, until two detectives showed up at my job the next day to interview me about what I’d seen. Then, they invited me down to the station to give a formal statement, but they wouldn’t tell me any details.

“During the run up to the trial, things took a turn. Apparently, what I’d thought was just a disagreement over money, drugs, whatever had been a hit put out by one of the big crime families in Zuzu. The damn cops did nothing to warn me, until I started receiving threatening phone calls and messages slid underneath my door. It was... it was awful.” She took a deep breath to try to calm her wavering voice, and he reached tentatively for her hand. “I was told there was nothing they could do to help me. The police force was stretched thin enough as it was, and I get that. I really do, but...”

“Yoba, I’m so sorry,” Harvey said, scooting his chair around to her side of the table. He put an arm around her shoulder, squeezing gently. “No wonder you’re so scared.”

She leaned into him, gently resting her head on his shoulder despite the awkward angle from the chairs. “Do you want to move to the couch?” she asked.

“Sure,” he said, helping her up and carrying both of their wineglasses to the coffee table.

She sat down in the middle of the couch, wanting to stay close to him. He took the right side, their knees touching as she turning to face him. “There was more that just the phone calls and the notes,” she said softly, looking down at her hands. “They began to harass the company I was working for at the time, until I got ‘let go’ in a restructure. My friends that owned the brewery hired me on, but they found me after a couple of months. Luckily, my friend was less easily cowed than my last boss, so I was able to stay on longer. But in the days leading up to the trial...” She trailed off, trying to keep the quiver in her voice down.

“Take your time,” Harvey said, taking her hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His words sent a warm, tingling feeling from where their hands met, up her arms, and through her torso. She gave him the best smile she could manage, squeezed his hand, and nodded. “The week of the trial, one of the worst events in my entire life took place. Yoba, almost worse than my mom dying. An officer came to my apartment to escort me to the courthouse for trial prep. He took the bus to my place and planned on driving my car, said it would attract less attention than a squad car. When he went to the garage to get the car, he... it... there was a car bomb.”

No matter how many times Georgia talked about that day, it never got easier. Even though she didn’t see it happen, or even see the burnt out remains of her old car, the feeling of the building shaking still haunted her. She could still see the police officer’s wife crying on the television. She didn’t elaborate on the story, but Harvey quickly set his wine glass on the side table and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in to his chest. She didn’t want to cry, hadn’t cried about it since she moved to Pelican Town the week after the trial, but hot tears streamed down her face onto his shirt. He rubbed her back and let her cry for either minutes or hours, she couldn’t be sure.

“I’m so sorry you had to go through all that,” he whispered into her hair once her shoulders stopped shaking. “I can’t imagine the kind of fear you face on a daily basis.”

“I’m used to it,” she said, sitting up slightly but staying in his arms. She hadn’t felt truly safe in Pelican Town until this moment, and she had no desire to move. “Which sounds kind of fucked up, I know, but it’s not like I have a choice.”

She paused for a moment, letting her breathing slow. “Telling you has helped me feel better.”

“I’m always here for you,” he said, pushing a piece of hair from her face. “I would have never guessed that you were going through so much. You’re so strong, Georgia.”

“It doesn’t feel like it most of the time. I jump every time I hear a noise. Would you believe I even called someone out to check behind my house because I heard some thumping noises?”

“And he came gladly, despite not knowing anything.”

She smiled, leaning into his chest again. “Would you still come, even knowing what you know now?”

“In a heartbeat.”

She looked up at him and kissed him without hesitation. His lips were soft, and his mustache tickled her upper lip. She felt his arms tighten around her, though he still seemed to be unsure of himself. Deciding to take the lead herself, she opened her mouth, running her tongue along his bottom lip. The most delightful groan slipped out of his mouth as he let her in, encouraging her further. One hand slipped around her waist, the other underneath her legs as he pulled her onto his lap.

Harvey was a lot smoother than he gave himself credit for, she realized, laughing lightly into their kiss. She felt him return her smile, arms pulling her in more insistently, as though she may float away. Despite the obvious heat between the two, his hands stayed chastely above her waist. Much to her own surprise, Georgia was content with that, for now. She didn’t want to spoil a good thing, the first really good thing in so long.

She pulled back slightly, resting her forehead against Harvey’s as they caught their breath. He smiled as widely as she did, still holding her tightly. “I’ve been wanting to do that for months,” he murmured, giving her another light kiss.

“Don’t flatter me,” she said with a modest laugh.

“I’m being serious.” He looked her in the eye, pushing a piece of hair out of her face. “Crushes feel a bit silly at my age, but I’ve been smitten since the day you saved me from Nala nearly knocking me off my bike.”

Georgia’s heart leaped, and she made a mental note to give Nala an extra treat with tomorrow’s breakfast. “The girl’s got good taste,” she laughed, running her fingers through Harvey’s hair. “Would... would you be alright with taking things kind of slow, though?”

He nodded earnestly, kissing her on the forehead. “Absolutely. How about I put on a movie?”

“Perfect. There’s a whole cabinet of DVDs next to the TV, and some VHS tapes as well, though I can’t promise we’ll be able to get them to play. Pick whatever you’d like!”

Harvey stood up from the couch, Georgia still in his arms. She gave a delighted gasp as he lifted her into the air before setting her back down on the sofa with a kiss.

After a few minutes, Harvey returned to the couch with a VHS in hand, and a backup DVD. “You’ve got a great selection, by the way.”

She took the tape from him. “Most of them were my granddad’s, but we used to love watching movies together... _Quigley Down Under_?” She looked at Harvey, then down at the picture of Tom Selleck on the cover and gave him a smirk. “Everything makes so much sense now!”

“What do you mean?” he asked. “That was one of my favorite movies as a kid.”

“Exactly my point!” She lifted up the box and held it next to his face. “Your mustache isn’t quite as glorious, but I won’t fault you for that.”

“Oh please,” Harvey muttered, a blush spreading across his cheeks. “I look about nineteen without my mustache, I’ve got to command respect somehow.”

Georgia giggled, standing on her tiptoes to give Harvey another kiss before walking over to put the tape into the VCR. “Well I think it suits you nicely.”

“You need any help getting the movie started?” he asked, walking up behind her.

She looked up at him with a half smile from where she crouched on the floor. “I think I can handle a shitty twenty year old VCR.”

He shrugged. “Figured you were too young to remember anything before DVDs.”

“Yoba, Harvey, I’m twenty-eight,” she laughed as the tape began to play on the television.

“Oh thank Yoba, that’s not...” he said to himself, trailing off as the flush returned to his cheeks.

“Not what?” She plopped down next to him on the couch, leaning in to his open arms with her back against his chest.

“Nothing, I just...thought you were younger, I guess.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” she said, leaning her head back to kiss him on his still-pink cheek. “How old are you?”

He cleared his throat. “Thirty-six this winter,” he said with a false nonchalance, watching the side of her face closely for a reaction.

“Oh, that’s nothing,” she said, rubbing her hand on the arm wrapped across her stomach.

Harvey’s arms tightened around her as the movie started, lulling her into a deeper relaxation than she’d felt since she arrived on the farm. The weariness of her muscles, her mind, and her heart melted away, and she drifted off to sleep within minutes.

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumblr at the-in-between-honey.tumblr.com though you may see some spoilers for this fic! i mostly post original fiction there, but if you like this, you'll probably like that. 
> 
> thanks for reading!


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